Aphasia courses

What is aphasia / dysphasia?Aphasia (sometimes called dysphasia) is a communication disability affecting a person’s ability to make themselves understood or to understand others. It is usually the result of a stroke or head injury. It can vary in severity and affect different people in different ways. The effects of aphasia may change over time. We offer courses and support for people with aphasia including the communication group.

What might the effects of aphasia be? A person with aphasia may find it difficult to:• say what they want to say• understand what other people are saying• follow a conversation in a group• talk or listen in a noisy environment• make sense of written information• write things down• follow a television programme or film• use the telephone

It is important to remember that the intellect of the person with aphasia remains unaffected. The difficulties outlined above may affect all aspects of a person’s life including their work, social and home life. Aphasia may lead to frustration and isolation.

What do we offer?We offer a group therapy course for people with aphasia. We also offer support for people with aphasia who may wish to attend courses in the main programme.

Communication Groups

We have a range of Communication Groups for people with aphasia. They take place on a Wednesday and each course lasts for 1.5 hours. Each group is a conversation group for those people living with aphasia and is facilitated by a specialist speech & language therapist. They offer you an opportunity to:

Access to LearningOur Access to Learning team is available to assist people with aphasia to access courses in the main programme. For example you may wish to do a course in: computing, yoga or music.

There are lots of different courses to choose from. Once your needs have been assessed and we’ve discussed with you what course would be suitable, we can help with:• access to buildings• pre-course visits• enrolment• support in the classroom • adapting course materials to better meet your needs• note taking

The team will work alongside you to identify your support needs and to provide the relevant support you may need to access a course of your choice.

FacilitiesOur main site at Keeley Street in Covent Garden is fully accessible with lifts and ramps. The classrooms are bright and airy. Our building is not far from the underground or buses. There is a comfortable café on site. Our reception staff are friendly and helpful so when you arrive please go to the reception and they will direct you.